My first new play of this project was a raving success. I really enjoyed Twelfth Night. It was engaging, funny, and I didn't want to put it down! Here are some of my thoughts:
THOUGHTS ON THE CHARACTERS
Viola: I like her. She’s driven, intelligent, and takes her future into her own hands. She's nice to everyone, even letting Olivia down gently. And the fact that she still woos her for Orsino when she's in love with him is so amazingly sweet.
Orsino: I feel weird about Orsino. He’s a little bit misogynistic to be the love interest of the leading lady, but maybe I’ve been spoiled by the fantastic Benedick from MAAN. I do think part of his borderline misogyny comes from just not understanding women. Plus at the end he seems to convert from his misogynistic ways, so I guess he's alright.
Olivia: Olivia’s strange. In the end, I do really like her, because of how she treats Malvolio after he was tricked. She's sweet, and I'm happy that she gets a happy ending, but I don't feel happy about the ending, because she doesn't even know Sebastian!!
Malvolio: I like Malvolio and I feel sorry for him. I know he’s conceited, but he’s a dreamer, and I sometimes find myself being a little conceited, so I can relate to him. He just wants to improve his situation. I don’t know if he’s really in love with Olivia or just wants to use her for a better situation but I kind of think he does love her, which hurts my heart.
Sir Toby Belch: I strongly dislike Sir Toby. What a jerk! He messes with Malvolio (and I’m all for pranks, but this is cruel), messes with his best friend Sir Andrew, and then marries Maria because she made the trick happen (?!).
Sir Andrew Aguecheek: He’s okay. I’m not crazy about the trick he played on Malvolio, but he seems pretty dumb and that he just follows along with what Sir Toby tells him to do.
Maria: I don’t like her, either. You’re not fun sassy, Maria, you’re mean sassy!
The Fool: He's fine. I like the whole idea that the person that is a "fool" is actually really intelligent, and not to judge a book by it's cover and all that jazz, but he contributes to the trick on Malvolio, and apparently that ruins characters for me.
Antonio: I've heard that he may be in love with Sebastian. Which is very cute and sad. I definitely would have preferred them as a couple rather than Sebastian ending up with Olivia who let's remember he Does Not Know.
PLAYING TRICKS REGARDING LOVE: Twelfth Night reminds me of Much Ado About Nothing in a few ways, and one big one is the heartbreaking contrast between the trick played on Beatrice and Benedick and the trick played on Malvolio. Beatrice and Benedick being tricked is funny because you know that they really do have feelings for each other - so the trick is doing good, not harm. Malvolio, who has clearly already had feelings for Olivia, is led on to believe that she loves him, when she really is developing feelings for Viola/Cesario. There are some really beautiful lines in the letter Maria writes as Olivia, and knowing that none of those feelings are true, and seeing Malvolio’s joy in reading them, literally made me almost cry. And, of course, B&B’s trick is played on them by their friends and Beatrice’s cousin and her uncle, who love them and want to see them happy (and FINALLY admit they love each other, for Lord’s sake!), while Malvolio’s trick is being played on him by four people who don’t like him at all, and want to see him hurt and embarrassed. Here’s what I would have LOVED to see happen: Malvolio does smile at Olivia all the time (as the letter indicated he should do to show he loves her) and she finally smiles back. Her spirits are lifted by seeing his cheery yellow stockings and bright smile, and she falls in love with him. Also he could probably chill out a bit on his narcissism.
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